Boiler-regulator.



C. G. WORTHINGTON.

BOILER REGULATOR.

AYPLIOATION FILED Jumv, 1909.

Patented May 14, 1912.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

III I I I COLUMBIA PLANomuwll cu.. WASHINGTON. D. c.

, C. C. WORTHINGTON.

BOILER REGULATOR.

APPLICATION FILED JAN. 27, 1909.

1,026, 1 90. Patented May 14, 1912.

2 SHEETS-EKHET 2.

I W z%%' an" a COLUMBIA PLANDIJRAPII Ell-,WASIIINOTON, IL C.

. using flash or semifiash boilers, it has been UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

CHARLES C. WORTHING-TON, 0F DUNNFIELD, NEW JERSEY.

BOILER-REGULATOR.

' Application filed January 27,

To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, CHARLES C. lVoIrrn- IrG'rc-N, a citizen of the United States, residing at Dunnfield, in the county of \Varren and State of New Jersey, have invented a certain new and useful Improvement in Boiler-Regulators, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact specification, reference being had to the accompanying drawings.

The object of my invention is to provide improved means for automatically regulating and*controlling the flow of the fuel and water necessary for the proper supply of the generator.

The invention is especially adapted for use on a steam carriage, though it may be used in connection with any form of steam generator or boiler, of the type mentioned, using fuel in a fluid or gaseous form.

In steam carriages as heretofore made the usual practice to control the flow of fuel to the burner and the flow of water to the generator by two or more regulators, each acting independently of the other, each being automatically operated either by the temperature of the steam in the generator or by the pressure of the steam, or by both the temperature and the pressure.

One object of my invention is to insure that the supply of both the fuel and the feed water shall be started and stopped simultaneously and shall continue on and off during the same periods of time.

The invention consists in the novel construction and combination of the several parts of the apparatus as set forth and described in the following specification and particularly pointed out in the claims.

In the drawings, Figure 1 shows a diagrammatic view with some of the parts in section, of the arrangement of this improved apparatus, the various parts of which may be placed in horizontal or vertical or any other convenient positions. Fig. 2 shows a modified form of the invention.

Referring to the parts by letters and in the present exemplitication of the invention as shown in Fig. 1, A represents an air tank in which any desired pressure is maintained, either by the operation of an air pump, or by other well known or convenient means. i represents a fuel supply tank for contain ing 'asolene, kerosene or other fluid fuels.

6 I n a WV represents a water tank for containing Specification .of Letters Patent.

Patented May 14, 1912.

1909. Serial No. 474,580.

the supply of water. G represents a steam generator, preferably of the flash type for evaporating the water and supplying the steam, the generator being provided with any suitable form of burner G consuming liquid fuel. A pilot tube T may also be provided for lighting the burner and which may preferably receive its supply from the same source as the burner G. R represents a regulator for regulating the supply of water and fuel to the generator G. B represents a fuel controller for governing the admission of fuel to the burner of the generator G. P represents a feed pump driven by power or any convenient means for foreing the supply of water into thegcnerator G. The feed pump may be constructed in combination with a controller or governor located at the base of the suction chamber of the pump, and which has communication with the suction chamber. C designates generally the water controller governing the suction valve of the feed pump P. Vater is supplied to the feed pump 1 through the pipe M leading from the supply tank W and entering the suction chamber of the pump at its lowest point and above the diaphragm 15. To provide means for proper drainage, the suction chamber of the pump and diaphragm 15 are so constructed and located with respect to each other that when the pipe M is drained through the drip cock Y all water is also drawn from the upper side of the diaphragm 15 in the water controller C. The feed pump 1 is connected to the generator G by the pipe N. The regulator It is connected to the generator G by the steam pipe D, and also to the fuel controller 13 by the air pipe 1!) and to the water controller C by the air pipe E. Air is admit.- ted to the fuel supply tank F from the tank A by means of the pipe J, thus maintaining the same pressure in the fuel supply tank as in the air tank A. Fuel is admitted to the generator G from the tank F through the pipes K and L, between which pipes is located the fuel controller B and with which both pipes have communication, the pipe L being controlled by the fuel controller B through the medium of a valve 8.

The operation of this improved apparatus is as follows: Any desired pressure may be maintained in the air tank A. For general purposes a pressure of fifty pounds per square inch will be found to be ample. The pressure from the air tank A is carried through the pipe 0 to the regulator R where it is admitted by the port 1 to the cylinder 2. Communicating with the cylinder 2 is a cylinder 5 having a port 6 through which the latter cylinder has communication with the atmosphere. Arranged preferably in the wall of the cylinder 5, beyond the cylinder 2 is an annular chamber 14 which has communication with the cylinder 5 and also with the port 4. A piston 13 is arranged within the cylinder 5 and is connected to move with the piston 3. The annular chamber 14 and the port 4 are so located with respect to the cylinder 2 that when the piston 3 is moved in one direction, the piston 13 is adapted to assume a position between the cylinder 2 and the chamber 14 to cut off communication between the chamber and cylinder 2 and establish communication between the port 4 and the cylinder 5, (as shown in full lines in the drawing). Then the piston 3 is moved in the opposite direc tion the piston 13 is adapted to assume a position between the chamber 14 and the port 6 to prevent the escape of air to the atmosphere through the port, and to reestablish communication between the chamber 14 and the cylinder 2 (as shown in dotted lines in the drawing). The cylinder 2 is provided with ports X-X on the side of the piston opposite to the side on which the cylinder 5 is located, whereby said cylinder 2 will always have communication with the atmosphere so as not to retard the movement of the piston '3. The pressure from the air tank A is carried also to the fuel supply tank F through the pipe J, forcing the gasolene or other fluid fuel under like pressure to the fuel controller 13 on one side of the diaphragm 11, through the pipe K and the port 7. A valve 8 in the fuel controller B is normally seated by the spring 9, closing the port 10 to the pipe L, but when fuel under pressure is admitted through pipe K and port 7 the pressure operating on the diaphragm 11 to which the valve is connected, overcomes the action of the spring 9 and unseats the valve 8 to admit fuel to the burner of the generator G through the port 10 and pipe L. lVhen the fuel is ignited in the combustion chamber in the generator G, which may be accomplished by the pilot tube or burner T, the water in the generator is heated and evaporated, producing steam under pressure. This steam pressure is at all times admitted through the pipe D to the cylinder 20 in the regulator R and operates on the piston 12, which latter is connected to and moves with the pistons 3 and 13. The relative areas of piston 12 and piston 3 are so proportioned that atany prede termined relation between the steam pressure in the cylinder 20 and the air pressure in the cylinder 2, the total pressure on the two pistons 12 and 3 practically balance each other. hen the steam pressure in the generator Gr rlses above the normal amount required to maintain this balance, the pressure in the cylinder 20 forces the piston 12 in one direction, carrying with it the piston 3 against the air pressure in the cylinder 2, and moving the piston 13 to a position to close the communication between the port 4 and the atmosphere through the cylinder 5 and the port 6. This movement of the piston 13 brings the annular chamber 14 at the same time into communication with cylinder 2 and the air pressure from port 1 of cylinder 2, is then admitted into the fuel controller B through pipe E on the other side of the diaphragm to balance the fuel pressure on the diaphragm 11. When the fuel pressure is thus balanced the spring 9 then forces the valve 8 to its seat, closing the port 10 and automatically cutting ofi the supply of fuel to the heater of the generator G.

Any suitable means may be provided for rendering the suction pump inoperative but a simple and effective means for accomplishing this end will now be described.

Simultaneously with the stoppage of the upply of fuel to the heater of the generator G the air pressure is admitted to the one end of the water controller C through the pipe E and on one side of the diaphragm 15 therein. controller C is normally held in an inoperative position by the spring 16, but when the air pressure is admitted to the water controller C back of the diaphragm, the air pressure acting on the diaphragm 15 over- The diaphragm 15 in the water comes the spring 16 and forces the rod 17 which is connected to be operated by the diaphragm, into engagement with a suction valve 18 in the feed pump P to unseat the valve and render the pump inoperative thereby stopping the supply of water to the generator Gr. Vhen the generator G is thus. deprived of its supply ofvfuel and water,

the steam pressure therein will gradually be reduced with more or less rapidity, de-.

pending upon the demand. When the steam pressure falls below the amount required to maintain on the piston 12 in the regulator R, a balance with the air pressure on the piston 3, the pistons 3 and 12 will be moved or shifted by the air pressure against the steam pressure, and the piston 13 will be carried beyond the annular chamber 14 to the posit-ion shown in full lines in the drawing. The port 4 will be thus again placed in communication with the atmosphere through the cylinder 5 and the port 6 and one side of the diaphragm 11 in the'fuel controller B will be relieved of the air pressure, which latter escapes through the pipe E and the port 4. Pressure of the fuel on the other side of the diaphragm 11 then overcomes the action of the spring 9, thereby compressing the spring and raises the valve 8 to again admit a supply of fuel through the port 10 and the pipe L to the burner of the generator G where it is ignited by the pilot burner T, maintained constantly lighted for that purpose. Simultaneously one side of the diaphragm 15 in the water controller C will be relieved of the air pressure, which latter escapes through the pipe E and the ports t and 6. The spring 16 then forces the rod 17 out of engagement with the suction valve 18 allowing the latter to be seated by the action of the controlling spring 19, permitting the feed pump 1 to again become operative and supply water to the generator Gr. An ordinary check valve :40 is provided in the pump P. It will thus be seen that the regulator R automatically maintains practically a constant steam pressure in the generator G, the relation between the amount of air pressure in the air tank A and the amount of steam pressure in the generator G being determined by the proportional areas of the piston 3 and the piston 12, in the regulator R, a slight variation in the steam pressure in the generator G up or down being sufficient to automatically operate the mechanism, and reestablish the normal steam pressure. It will also be seen that the normal steam pressure to be maintained in the generator G may be varied at the will of the operator by adjusting a safety valve V, which may be provided on the air tank A and any change in the amount of pressure carried in the air tank A will automatically effect a relative change in the amount of steam pressure carried in the generator G.

It will be understood that the air pressure acting upon the piston 23 in the regulator B may be derived from an independent tank, as shown in Fig. 2. In this case the tank A will be disconnected from the regulator R and the latter will have communication with the tank A through the medium of the pipe 0 and the tank A may be provided with a safety valve V similar to the valve V of the tank A and set to maintain the desired pressure in said tank A. The controller B has communication with the fuel supply pipe K through the connection 10, and the valve 8 in the controller is adapted to move through a suitable stuffing box 83 for regulating the supply of fuel. The tank A also has communication with the controller B on the side of the diaphragm on which the outlet 10 is located, through the medium of the pipe 0, so that the pressure from the tank A will, through the medium of the various connections, act upon both sides of the diaphragm 11 to balance the same. When the pressure in the generator acting upon the piston 12 of the regulator R, as hereinbefore described, is great enough to overcome the resistance of the force of the pressure in the tank A,

the pressure will be admitted through the pipe E to the controller B and thereby close the valve 8 to stop the supply of fuel in the manner hereinbefore described. At the same time the pressure is communicated to the cont-roller C of the pump P through the pipe E to stop the supply of water in the generator as hereiubefore described. \Vhen the pressure in the generator falls sufficiently, the supply of fuel and water will be renewed in the manner as hereinbefore set forth. it will readily be seen that the normal steam pressure to be maintained in the generator (i may be varied at the will of the operator by adjusting the safety valve V of the tank A and any change in the amount of pressure carried in the air tank A will automatically effect a relative change in the amount of steam pressure carried by the gene'ator G in a manner similar to the manner in which the pressure is controlled by the adjustment of the valve V in the tank A.

That the steam supplied by the generator controlled by my devices may at all times contain a proper amount of superheat and all danger be avoided of flooding the boiler, the quantity offuel supplied to the burner should be so proportioned to the quantity of water supplied by the pump that it will be sufficient to evaporate into steam at normal pressure the greatest quantity of water the pump is capable of delivering during the maximum demand of the engine. This proportion can readily be arrived at by those familiar with the subject of liquid or gaseous fuels and varies with the relative evaporativc'ellicicncies of the kinds of fuel used. In the case of commercial gasolene a proportion by weight of one of oil to eight of water will ordinarily be sufficient. If the feed pump is driven by the main engine this proportionate delivery of fuel and feed water; is actually reached only when the engine 1s running at its highest speed and the pump is therefore delivering its maximum quantity.

The quantity of water supplied in any given unit of time is dependent on the speed of the engine while the quantity of fuel supplied in the same time is practically con stant. By thus providing sufficient heat to convert into steam at all times whatever water the pump can supply, any flooding is prevented and a condition of superheat is secured best adapted to produce economic results. A super-abundance of superheat is avoided by having the feed pump of such size as to invariably supply water enough to produce the weightof steam the engine requires. A condition of running sometimes is met with when the engine is called upon to perform an unusual amount of work demanding a large amount of steam while operating at a slow speed. At such a time the feed pump may be found of insufficient capacity at such slow speed, to meet the demands upon the generator and an unclesirable temperature of steam results. Recourse is then had to a simple change speed gear which is the usual and well known method of increasing the speed of the engine and consequently the delivery of the pump withoutincreasing the steam demand and which is not necessary to illustrate. By this means the quantity of feed Water supplied is brought up to the lGClHlSitG' amount and the temperature of the superheat maintained within its proper limits. By this method of simultaneous control, combined with a predetermined proportion of maximum feed to fuel, a perfect operative condition of the generator is main tained without the intervention of complicated thermostats heretofore employed.

whereby the pressure which acts -upon the fuel and the pressure in the generator will constantly act upon the regulator in opposition to each other, and means whereby the admission of the first recited pressure upon the regulator to the fuel and feed supplies and the exhaust from said supplies may be controlled, the last said means including means for controlling the admission and exhaust of pressure upon the fuel and feed supplies.

2. In an apparatus of the character described, the combination with a vapor generator, of a fluid feed, a fuel feed under pressure, a regulator for said feeds, means whereby the pressure which acts upon the fuel and the pressure in the generator will constantly act upon the regulator in opposit-ion to each other, said regulator embodying means whereby pressure upon the regulator may be admitted to the fuel and feed supplies and also embodying exhaust there from, and a valve for controlling the admission and exhaust of pressure fluid.

'3. In an apparatus of the character described, the combination with a vapor generator, of a fluid feed, a fuel feed under pressure, a controlling valve for the fuel feed, means whereby the pressure exerted by the fuel will normally open the valve, a regulator for controlling the valve, means for actuating the regulator, and means for intermittently closingthe valve by the operation of the regulator. 7

4. In an apparatus of the character described, the combination with a vapor gen erator, of a fluid feed, a fuel feed under pressure, a controlling valve for the fuel feed, means whereby the pressure of the fuel will normally open the valve, a regu-.

lator, means whereby the pressure on the fuel will act upon the regulator, and means whereby the pressure acting upon the fuel will be controlled by the regulator to intermittently actuate the valve.

5. In an apparatus of the character described, the combination with a vapor generator, of a fluid feed, a fuel feed under pressure, a controlling valve for the fuel feed, means whereby the pressure of the fuel will normally hold the valve open, a pressure cont-rolled regulator, means whereby the pressure acting upon the regulator will be controlled by the regulator to permit the valve to be intermittently operated, a valve for controlling the fluid feed, and means whereby the operation of the regulator will permit the valve controlling the fluid feed to be intermittently operated.

6. In an apparatus of the character described, the combination with a vapor generator, of a fluid feed, a fuel feed under pressure, and a regulator for controlling both such feeds, said regulator embodying means whereby a variation of the pressure which acts upon the fuel will automatically effect a proportionate variation in the pressure of the vapor in the generator.

7. In an apparatus of the character described, the combination with a vapor generator, of a pump for supplying to the generator the fluid to be vaporized, said pump having a source of fluid supply, a regulator controlling said supply, means whereby the pressure from the generator will operate the regulator, a fuel supply for the generator,

means for exerting a pressure upon the fuel, and means whereby a variation in the pressure which acts upon the fuel will automatically effect a proportionate variation in the pressure of the vapor in the generator.

8. In an apparatus of the character described, the combination with a vapor gen erator, of a fluid feed, a fuel feed, a regulator for controlling both such feeds, a source of compressed air supply, means whereby the pressure on said air supply may varied, means whereby the regulator may be acted upon byboth the vapor pressure from the generator and the pressure from the air supply to control the fluid and fuel feeds, said regulator embodying means whereby the point in the generator pressure atv which the fluid and the fuel feeds are admitted to the generator may be varied by varying the amount of pressure in the air 9. In an apparatus of the character described, the combination with a vapor generator, of a fluid feed, a fuel feed, a regulater for controlling both such feeds, a source of compressed air supply, means whereby the pressure on said air supply may be varied, and means whereby the regulator may be acted upon by both the vapor pressure from the generator and the pressure from the air supply, said regulator embodying means whereby a variation in the amount of pressure in the air supply will automatically effecta proportionate varlation in the pressure of vapor in the generator.

10. In an apparatus of the character described, the combination with a vapor generator, of a fluid feed, a fuel feed, a controlling valve for each of said feeds, a regulator, a source of compressed air supply, means whereby the regulator may be acted upon by both the vapor pressure from the generator and the pressure from the air sup ply, and means whereby one of said valves will be opened and the other closed when the force exerted by the pressure from the generator upon the regulator is less than that exerted upon the regulator from the air supply.

11. In an apparatus of the character described, the combination with a vapor generator, of a fluid feed, a fuel feed, a controlling valve for each of said feeds, a regulator, a source of compressed air supply, means whereby the regulator may be acted upon by both the vapor pressure from the generator and continuously by the pressure from the air supply, and means whereby the valves will be opened when the force exerted upon the regulator by the pressure from the generator is less than that exerted thereon from the air supply and closed when the force exerted by the said generator pressure upon the regulator is greater than the force exerted thereon from the air supply.

12. In an apparatus of the character described, the combination with a vapor generator, of a fluid feed, a fuel feed, a controlling valve for each of said feeds, a regulator, a source of compressed air supply, means whereby the regulator may be acted upon by both the vapor pressure from the generator and the pressure from the air supply, and means whereby said valves will be opened and closed by the relative changes in pressure from the generator and from the air supply acting upon the regulator.

13. In an apparatus of the character described, the combination with a vapor generator, of a fuel feed, a controller for said feed, said controller including a valve, a diaphragm operatively connected to the valve, and a spring acting upon the diaphragm, means for admitting the fuel to the controller on one side of the diaphragm, a regulator for the controller, and means whereby the regulator will admit pressure to the controller on the opposite side of the diaphragm to equalize the pressure of the fuel on the diaphragm for permitting the said spring to move the diaphragm.

14. In an apparatus of the character described, the combination with a vapor generator, of a fuel feed, a controller, said controller including a diaphragm, means for admitting fuel to the controller on one side of the diaphragm, a spring on the opposite side of the diaphragm, and means for causing the spring to intermittently move the diaphragm to check the supply of fuel.

15. In an apparatus of the character described, the combination with a vapor generator, of a fluid feed, a fuel feed under pressure, a regulator for controlling said feeds, said regulator including a piston, means whereby the pressure acting upon the fuel will act upon one side of the piston, and means whereby a lower pressure will act upon the other side of the piston.

16. In an apparatus of the character described, the combination with a vapor generator, of a fluid feed, a fuel feed under pressure, a regulator for controlling said feeds, said regulator including a piston, means whereby the pressure acting upon the fuel will act upon one side of the piston, and means whereby a portion of the other side of the piston will be acted upon by a lower pressure, and the remaining portion of the piston will be acted upon by a greater pressure.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification, in the presence of two subscribing witnesses, on this seventh day of January A. D. 1909.

CHAS. G. VVORTHI'NGTON.

WVitnesses:

W. R. VVORTHINGTON, C. W. CoLLIERE.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. 0. 

